Vanua Levu

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White tip reef shark at Nasonisoni Passage, west of Savusavu, Vanua Levu.

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Overview

Though it’s Fiji’s second-largest island, Vanua Levu (Big Island) is one of the tropics’ best-kept secrets. It’s another world from the bustle of Viti Levu and the more-touristed islands: many roads are little more than rutted dirt tracks, and Labasa, the island’s largest ‘city’, is a one-street strip of shops. To the south, Savusavu entices yachties, divers and dreamers looking for a tropical idyll. The rest of ‘Big Island’ is given over to sugarcane and copra plantations, hideaway villages, mountain passes streaming with waterfalls, endless swaths of forest and an ever-changing coastline forgotten by the world. Take it slow, keep a smile on your face and savour rural Fiji on its grandest scale.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

Wasavula Ceremonial Site

Vanua Levu

This site has a cryptic – and cannibalistic – history. At the entrance, there's a sacred monolith that villagers believe grew from the ground; behind is a…

Naag Mandir Temple

Vanua Levu

The sacred 3m-high Cobra Rock is housed inside the vibrant Naag Mandir Temple. It's draped with flower-and-tinsel garlands, and offerings are placed at…

Nukubolu

Vanua Levu

Deep in the mountains north of Savusavu, reachable by 4WD, lie the ruins of Nukubolu, an ancient Fijian village whose stone foundations, terraces and…

Waisali Rainforest Reserve

Vanua Levu

Nestled in the mountains north of Savusavu, this 120-ha reserve is home to thousands of birds, flowers, trees and plants, some of which are used in local…

Floating Island

Vanua Levu

This house-sized island floats on a pond during high winds or, if you believe local lore, when a priest chants at it. The real reason to come here is to…

Tunuloa Silktail Reserve

Vanua Levu

Home to the rare silktail bird, found only on this peninsula and on Taveuni. The silktail has sadly made it onto the world’s endangered-species list, with…

Korovatu Beach

Vanua Levu

From Naag Mandir Temple, head down through dense coconut trees and past the lounging cows to Korovatu Beach. It's the closest stretch of sand to Labasa…